The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-03-19


DVc. The clock had finished strikin
IL yesterday at the Second police station
telephone message was received tina
John Harris stable on Third street, be
tween Marshall and Clay streets was OF
IRE. Harris has also lodge room ant
undertaking establishment at the sam,
place.
The alarm was promptly turned in from
Box 3. In pulling the lever the machi
merry in the box was dislocated, causing
the gongs in the engine houses to strike
6-6-3-3 2-2. This caused great confusion
as the firemen were utterly unable to as
certain where the apparatus was wanted.
superintendent Thompson saw at once
that the alarm was from the neighbor-
hood of the Second police-station. He
at once telephoned and asked had they
turned in an alarm, and received an
answer in the affirmative Mr. Thompson
at once turned in an alarm from his
office calling the apparatus to Box 3.
Steamers 3 and and Hook and Ladder
Truck No. l responded No. steamer
also goes to this station, but at present
she is at the shop receiving necessary
repairs.
For some inexplicable reason, great
deal of time was lost in getting to work,
and in short time it became apparent
that more steamers would be needed.
Accordingly Chief Fuqua instructed First
Assistant Mountcastle to call No. 6 !
steamer, from the corner of Cumberland
and Laurel This was done, and in few |
minutes the engine was on the ground. |
Seeing that more apparatus yet was
needed, the Chief told one of the officers
to call No. engine from her house on
Main, between Twentieth and Twenty
first streets. The officer endeayored to
do so, but being unused to giving the
private signal, inadvertently pulled in
the box, No. 5. This was taken for
second alarm, and called all the engines
in the city. AT No. and 9 houses the
gongs struck 5-3, and those engines re-
sponded to that box, corner of Rockets
and Nicholson streets. Finding out
their error they proceeded to the right
station, and arrived at the fire with 6
horses completely worn out. :
The lire was all in the third story. and ,
considerable trouble was experienced in /,
reaching 1t. AT one time it seemed as if
the whole building would be consumed. ,
but hard work triumphed, and after an y
hours hard work the flames were SUBJ
dued.
The fire originated in small room on
the third floor used by Harris
two boys as sleeping apartment. How o
1t originated is a matter of conjecture L
only, as no fire of any kind is allowed in l.
The room. A number of bricklayers IL
were at work upon the building repairing a.
i, and it was they who first discovered IL
he fire.
Harris lost all of his household furni- u
ure, clothing, etc. He also had guam N
ity of furniture stored away, all of which m
vas lost. He estimates his loss on these al
.oods to be alone $500 with no insurance. III
The stock of collins was only slightly W
amaged by water, most of them having
cen carried out.
The building was damaged to the ex
snt Of about $4,000, and was insured for A
z, 1000. ag
Harris had large quantity of cash III
loney in vault, the keys to which were Tn
'st, and he could not tell whether or no ma
will lose anything in that way. lal
Captain Sheppard, of steamer No. 3, te'
Drained one Of his arms getting off Ne
oder, but beyond this no injury was tel
lstained by any one. pr